a certain

phrase

1

—used to refer to a quality that is noticed but that is difficult to explain or describe

She has a certain elegance about her.

The house has a certain charm.

2

formal

—used with the name of a person one does not know

In 1889, a certain Mr. Kelly made a large donation to the church.

Examples of a certain in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Hering and Wundt illusions are examples of how straight lines can appear curved if intersecting lines cross them at a certain angle. — Emma Gometz, Scientific American, 22 Sep. 2026

He’s been guarded a certain way for a long, long time, just because of his ability to put the ball in the basket. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 21 Sep. 2026

By the end of the 6-11 plummet, the Chiefs were 1-9 in one-score games — the kind of shift in dynamics that figures to leave followers with a certain ambient dread until proven otherwise. — Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2026

Even if Della Francesca was an early Renaissance master rather than a neoclassicist, McGirr’s conceit sparked a certain curiosity. — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 21 Sep. 2026

Rhymes for a certain

• uncertain
• bertin
• curtain